Spoonbills, Goosanders, Little Egrets, Godwits, Sandpiper and Greenshank (plus Parasitic Wasp) at the Otter Estuary nature reserve and along the river Otter - 17th March 2026

I visited the Otter Estuary nature reserve for the second time on Tuesday during my week in Devon

The two Spoonbills were feeding in front of a Little Egret

A Dunnock perched in a bare shrub

Group of Black-tailed Godwits feeding near the bridge in the centre of the nature reserve

I found a creepy Parasitic Wasp creeping around in one of the bird hides

I went for a walk along the footpath at the edge of the river Otter and came across a pair of Goosanders

a second female Goosander was in the water a little further upstream

Back in the nature reserve, a Black-tailed Godwit was feeding in the mud

Two Little Egrets were stepping daintily around in a shallow pool

A Common Sandpiper was standing in shallow water at the edge of the mud

A Greenshank was wading through the water while looking for food

Another Little Egret was walking around in shallow water near the coastal end of the reserve

 

Lapwings, Shelducks, Bewick and Whooper swans seen during visit to RSPB Minsmere nature reserve on a soggy overcast day - 7th February 2026

I went from London to Minsmere in Suffolk by coach on 7th February, which turned out to be a wet and dark day.  Sizewell C could be seen in the distance as I began my walk round the reserve.

The view across the lagoon from the East hide - it was misting with rain nearly all day!

There were lots of Lapwings and four Bewick swans in the distance

Synchronised dipping from the four Bewicks

Lots and lots of Lapwings on the spits of land in the lagoon

There were some horses on the land in front of a bird hide on the other side of the water

More birds on the zig-zag land in the lagoon - again mainly Lapwings, with a few Shelducks

Pair of Shelducks on the lagoon

Ringed Plover in the distance at the edge of a spit of land

Something had spooked the Lapwings and a large group of them took flight

Shelduck and a pair of Gadwalls on one of the little islands

Posing Shelduck

Eurasian Teal and Norther Shovelers on the lagoon in front of a viewpoint

Gadwall at the front and Teal at the back

A very distant Goosander

Round the other side of the lagoon I saw a Whooper swan from the Island Mere hide

A Mute swan was not pleased to the see the Whooper and came after it in an aggressive manner 

Blue Tit in the bushes near the Visitor Centre just before I had to go back to the coach

Two Blue Tits in the bushes before my journey back home

and a Great Tit too!

Minsmere is a great reserve - and especially would be on a nice day!!  It is  huge area and we only managed to walk round a small part of it during the few hours that we were there.

Frosty and foggy birdwatching visit to Abberton Reservoir - mid-January 2025 - with Golden Eyes, Slavonian Grebes and many other birds

I went on a coach trip to Abberton Reservoir in mid-January.  The first stop was at Layer de la Haye causeway where I saw a Black-tailed Godwit searching for food on the frost-covered grass

Misty view from the causeway

Male Pied Wagtail at the edge of the water

Female Golden Eye viewed from the causeway

and a Slavonian Grebe

View of misty reeds from a viewpoint past the LDLH causeway

Row of Lapwings that were barely visible in the fog

Rather attractive rooster sign near the entrance to Billets Farm

and the real thing!

Frost on the wall at the LDLH causeway

Redshank wandering around at the edge of the water

Common Gull with reflection

Goosander in the faint mist

Two male Goosanders and one female

Several Goosanders

Male Golden Eye

Goldeneye and a Common Pochard

Lunchtime was spent sitting outside the visitor centre where I saw a Blue Tit in the reeds

Three Blue Tits were on a bird feeder

and a Goldfinch was perching on a twiggy branch

After lunch we walked along the path round part of Abberton Reservoir 

The mist had cleared and Fieldfares were perching on bare twigs near the water

Gull City was viewed in varying light and heavy mist from one of the bird hides

We convened back at the coach at 15.30 and were then driven to Layer Breton causeway

Mute Swans were standing on ice on one side of the road

There was a small pool of water in the middle of ice and a group of swans had gathered there

The moon was shining above the tranquil unfrozen water on the other side of the road

Male Goldeneye travelling along near the edge of the causeway

The sky was turning pink

and the sun was setting in the distance

Time to leave!!